It’s getting closer. “Sounds of Hope,” Swift’s music department Christmas program, is scheduled for Sunday, Dec 18, at 3 p.m. in the church sanctuary.
Included in this program will be our chancel choir, handbell choir, and Joyful Tones (chime choir). These groups of people are working hard to make our “Sounds of Hope” joyful and beautiful. We will also hear the nativity story from Luke 2, as read by Debbie Schmidt.
Don’t even think of celebrating Christmas without attending our program. Fliers have been made to spread the word. If you would like one for your business or community bulletin board, please let Lisa know. Invite your family, friends, and neighbors. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall.
Children’s Christmas Play
The performance will be during the 10 o’clock service on Dec 11.
Please invite your guests and join us for a cookie social afterward
in the fellowship hall.
Worship Committee News
Kim Whitchard, elder
Blessings to our Swift Church family. I pray that 2016 has been a blessed year for all of you. I am aware that several families have experienced tragedy and heartache, and we all have encountered our share of stress.
This year has been a great year for the worship committee. I believe that we have been able to create some different/unique experiences to enhance families’ worship. We created “Lent in a Bag” to have a visual representation of our Lord’s journey to our salvation. We had a festive Pentecost Sunday with the choir processing with the red banners. We then assembled “Take-Out Church” to help vacationing families continue to worship our Lord even if they are not able to attend church every Sunday during the summer.
December will continue to be a very busy month for the worship team. We are excited as the decorations are beginning to be assembled and hung. Advent season began Nov. 27, at which time we lighted the first Advent candle. Communion will be served Dec. 4, and will be served by intinction. We look forward to the children’s Christmas program on Dec. 11 at the 10:00 service. (Please be reminded there will not be an 8:00 service that Sunday. Also there will be no nursery.)
There will be a “Longest Night” service” again this year, on Wednesday, Dec. 21. This is a very special service for those who are going through the Christmas season without loved ones. You can contact Paula Brewer for more information.
Christmas Eve services will be on Saturday, Dec. 24, at 6 p.m.
Christmas Day is on Sunday. We invite everyone to come to church and celebrate the ultimate birthday. We will be having only one service that day at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary.
New Year’s Day is also on a Sunday. We will be doing a breakfast worship service at 9 a.m. (one service) which is going to be very “non-traditional.” So come dressed casually and comfortably. The only goal of this day is to welcome the birth of our Savior and the hope that His birth brings for our new year. Come celebrate the new year with your Swift family.
Here’s to a blessed 2017.
“Behold, I Make All Things New”
A non-traditional New Year’s Day worship service
Sunday, Jan. 1, at 9 a.m. in the Swift Church fellowship hall
Gather around to share the first meal, the first communion, and first worship service of the New Year, on the first day of the year. There will be one service at 9 a.m. in the fellowship hall, which will include breakfast and communion. (There will not be a service at 8:00 or 10:00.)
We will worship, we will sing, we will hear scripture read and proclaimed, and we will share stories about God’s presence in our lives as we go forward into the new year. As we turn the pages of a new calendar, each page is blank. Every new day, each new month, and each new year offers a fresh start.
POINSETTIA ORDER FORM
Poinsettia order forms will be inserted into your announcements through Dec. 11. If you wish to order, please place your check for $7 per plant in the offering plate. The plants will be in the sanctuary on Dec. 18 and may be taken home with you on Christmas Eve.
RADICAL HOSPITALITY
Two or More Lunch
Thursday, Dec. 1, at 11:30 a.m. at the Captain’s Choice Grill at the Gulf Bowl.
Please contact Lee Mansell at 251-232-4775 to make a reservation or just show up.
Butterfly Girls and Guys Night Out
Mark your calendar for Thursday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m.
Butterfly Girls will meet at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores.
And the guys will gather at Rafters, across from Cobb Theaters, Gulf Shores.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Susan or Daryl Pichoff at 251-233-9486.
SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS
GriefShare grief support ministry
Love, laughter, and good times — all part of the holiday season. From the first thought of a Thanksgiving turkey right through the New Year’s Eve “Auld Lang Syne,” we are conditioned to expect happiness. But the reality for many is quite the opposite. For those who are grieving the loss of someone close to them, holidays can only amplify their heartache.
There is no statute of limitations on grief. Years may pass, and for 10 months of the year you function fine, but the memories that just naturally arrive with the holiday festivities can throw someone into a deep sadness.
As part of the GriefShare grief support ministry, we will be hosting a special seminar called “Surviving the Holidays.” It is designed for those who are dealing with grief this holiday season.
The seminar consists of a video with practical tips, an opportunity to hear from others who are also dealing with personal grief, an opportunity to share or not to share your own experience, and a holiday survival guide that will take you through the next weeks.
Please join us on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 3 p.m. for this stepping stone in your journey from “mourning to joy.” Call the church or Paula for more information. Or just come — and bring a friend.
Paula and Danny Brewer, facilitators
Telephone: 251-284-4225, Email: jdandbutterflies@gmail.com
“THE LONGEST NIGHT”
Wednesday, Dec. 21 — 6:30 p.m.
This year the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, will fall on Dec. 21. A special worship service will be held that night in the historical chapel at 6:30. The “Longest Night” service is a gift to the community, designed to bring comfort to those who are experiencing grief due to a loss.
The service will have special music, scriptures of comfort, and prayers for strength. As a gathered community we will draw from the season’s offer for healing and hope, and bring support and comfort to those who struggle during this time of year. All are welcome and encouraged to bring a friend or neighbor that may be experiencing grief. On this longest night of the year, hope and comfort are available.
INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT
Coffee with Keith
This conversational class moved to a new room — the carpeted area of the fellowship hall. This class features a Christian leader opening the discussion via DVD. The class then discusses the topic. The class meets Sundays at 9 a.m.
Dec. 4 “Salvation — Abundant Life Now”
Dec. 11 “Cross — Where God Is”
Dec. 17 “Church — An Imperfect Family”
Dec. 25 No class
Jan. 1 No class
Daniel Bible Study
A Bible study on the book of Daniel is being offered both Sundays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.,
and Thursday mornings, 10 to 11:30 a.m. People are welcome to join this group at any time.
Please contact Elder Lee Mansell at 232-4775 for more information.
Note: We will not be meeting on Dec. 22, 25 or 29 or Jan. 1.
Christian Education/Youth
Ginny Kleinschmidt, elder
The youth have been busy continuing to redecorate the youth room. Their chalkboard wall is painted and they are chalking their personal sayings and pictures to fill it up. They also had painted individual canvases and they are hanging on the walls. The pingpong table has been set up, and we hope to get the basketball goal together and up outside.
We had our “Youth Food Pantry Challenge” in November, working with missions, to stock the pantry for the families in time for Thanksgiving. Eleven youth participated in the challenge. We returned to eat pizza together and then with the help of Devery Thomas and Kevin Barnwell, two of our youth leaders, we built a fire pit. The youth are so excited. We also will be working on an outdoor prayer station.
December is such a busy time for the youth with exams and holidays that we only have on the calendar our youth Christmas party “Fire Pit and Fun,” Dec. 20 from 5 until 8 p.m. We will be having hot dogs, hot chocolate, s’mores, and more goodies. I am sure there will be a pingpong championship game being played. So please come and bring a friend.
We want to thank all our leaders — Tracy Akins, Lezli Thomason, Tanya Vetrano, Devery Thomas, Kevin Barnwell and Josh Smith — for the great job they have been doing with our youth and look forward to the new year with more powerful, spiritual, fun fellowship.
We want to thank all the congregation and the members who have provided a meal for us and the members who have opened their homes and provided us a meal. We never go hungry.
MISSION AND SERVICE
Cathy Rogers and Philip Melton, elders
The Swift Presbyterian congregation continues to support our missions generously. Our food pantry has been a very busy place this fall. We are feeding 45–50 families each month and are in constant need of donations for the upcoming month. Thanks to all who support this mission and who volunteer at the distributions.
We continue to support Living Waters for the World on the third Sunday of the month with “Two Cents a Meal.” Those pennies really add up to support this mission and bring clean water to so many.
Our mission focus for Advent is Alabama’s Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega. Jacque Cordle gave the sermon at both services on Nov. 20 to tell us of the passionate work that is being done to support children. Mission offerings will be collected through Advent on Nov. 27, Dec. 4, 11, 18 and 24 for PHC. We encourage each giving unit to donate $25 for this mission. Since our message for December is hope, we have a lighted “HOPE” board in the sanctuaries. For every $25 donated, a light bulb will be lit on the board. Our goal is to earn $1,250 to support PHC and the work that they do. We will also be collecting gently used clothing for the residents and their thrift shop.
Put Feb. 5 on your calendar as this will be our Souper Bowl Sunday. After the 10:00 service, we will have a wide variety of soups and desserts for your Sunday dinner. A Joy Offering will be taken to support our food pantry throughout the year.
December Volunteers
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:10
GREETER/USHER TEAMS
Dec. 4 — Donna Donald, Willard Penfold, Lynn and Mike Barnwell
Dec. 11 — Mark and Tresa Melton, Lynn Aspray, Jane King
Dec. 18 — Bridget Gosa, Jessica Gosa, Lee Mansell and Kim Whitchard
Dec. 25 — Norm and Debbie Schmidt; Danny and Paula Brewer
NURSERY VOLUNTEERS
Dec. 4 — Lezli and Kenny Thomason
Dec. 11 — Children’s Christmas play
Dec. 18 — Tresa Melton and Tara Morrow
Dec. 25 — Moe and Kathy Menk
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
Dec. 4 — Cathy Rogers
Dec. 18 — Teresa Thomas
CHILDREN’S CHURCH
Dec. 11 — No Children’s Church
Dec. 18 — Lezli and Kenny Thomason
Dec. 25 — No Children’s Church
FELLOWSHIP DEACONS
Dec. 4 — Tosha Thomas
Dec. 11 — Brett Cardwel
Dec. 18 — Tosha Thomas
IN THE COMMUNITY
Bethel Baptist Church, 4 miles east of Robertsdale on Highway 90,
will hold its annual “Walk Through Bethlehem.”
Friday–Sunday, Dec. 9–11 — 6 to 8 p.m.
Come celebrate the true meaning of Christmas by experiencing the sights and sounds of Bethlehem long ago with live animals, costumes, and a dramatic presentation.
Since the 30-minute walk is outdoors, please dress appropriately for the weather.
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An invitation from Presbyterian Women of Foley First . . .
The Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian Church in Foley invite our women
to their December Bible study and lunch on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 10 a.m.
This year’s Horizon Bible study is “Who is Jesus? What a Difference a Lens Makes.” The program will begin at 10 a.m. with Christmas hymns, the Thank Offering and Bible study. A lunch will follow.
Please contact the First Presbyterian Church office at 943-8325 if you plan to attend.
EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY
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